EastEnders’ Charlie Brooks opens up on return to soap after explosive exit ahead of Dancing on Ice debut
EASTENDERS star Charlie Brooks has teased her return to her iconic soap role.
It comes after the actress, 43, was confirmed for Dancing On Ice in her latest telly project, set to kick off this weekend on ITV.
Janine Butcher actress Charlie has been paired with hunky newcomer and Olympic medalist Eric Radford for the nail-biting reality show.
Yet despite taking on a host of projects on the box away from Albert Square, talk regularly turns to her comeback as scheming Janine.
She has played the EastEnders role on and off since 1999, when she replaced Alexia Demetriou.
The character – famed for killing Barry Evans back in 2004 – was last seen in Walford in 2022.
In the scenes three years ago – which were panned by some fans – she reignited her feud with Kat (Jessie Wallace) and Stacey (Lacey Turner), where Janine almost killed the former’s son in an accidental fire.
The character’s manipulative ways were also behind the split of Mick (Danny Dyer) and Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) as she wanted him all to herself.
In her exit storyline, she was arrested after driving a car off a cliff, which led to the supposed death of her newest husband Mick.
Yet despite the drama of her latest BBC One soap exit – she could be back.
Charlie told of her plans post Dancing On Ice and said: “I’m going straight back into Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for a while, and then I probably need a little bit of time off.
“And then we’re in talks about another theatre project at the moment, so I don’t know yet.
“I’m biding my time. So who knows.”
SPEAKING OUT
It isn’t the first time Charlie has teased a soap comeback.
The mum-of-one, who is in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as the Childcatcher, has played coy with the idea.
“It’s a bit like a home, to be honest,” she admitted of the BBC show, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary soon.
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Sarah Storey revealed she had quit on December 6, 2024, and it’s not known if she will be replaced.
The Paralympian was partnered with Sylvain Longchambon.
Charlie Brooks and Eric Radford
Chris Taylor and Vanessa Bauer
Mollie Pearce and Colin Grafton
Chelsee Healey and Andy Buchanan
Michaela Strachan and Mark Hanretty
Ferne McCann and Brendyn Hatfield
Dan Edgar and Vanessa James
Sir Steve Redgrave and Vicky Ogden
Anton Ferdinand and Annette Dytrt
Sam Aston and Molly Lanaghan
Josh Jones and Tippy Packard
“I’ve kind of been back a few times, so it’s always really lovely to see everyone.
“It’s one of those places where lots of people stay so it’s nice to catch up with people again.
“I’m not very good at staying still for very long so I like to sort of keep doing different things, but yeah it’s always interesting with the character to see what she’s been doing and what she’s up to.”
The former soap star also has another side project in the form of her own acting agency.
Charlie aims to help aspiring stars from disadvantaged backgrounds breakthrough into the industry.
Meanwhile, she has also found happiness away from acting with a new boyfriend.
She made her new romance public as she cosied up to producer James Fuller during a walk in London last month.
It’s Charlie’s first public romance following her split from her boyfriend of six years, Ben Hollington, in 2018.
She has a daughter with Ibiza club owner Tony Truman, who she split from in 2007, and previously spoke of their unusual set-up – revealing in 2021 that he lived in a flat above her and Ben.